My first LCS experience in 28 years....

[gmoney328]

So being back into the hobby since August now, I decided to finally drop in on a card shop in my area. I have probably driven by this place 500 times in the 10 years it’s been open. Let’s just say my experience wasn’t fantastic.

Shop was nice enough. Walked in and saw boxes and boxes of singles. Started looking around. Made a comment to the guy that I felt like I could spend a day looking at this stuff and still not BUY everything I wanted. He didn’t respond. So I’m looking around and hear the owner (I think) yelling at one of his guys for not “working the customer enough”. Mind you, I am the only customer in the place at this point.

Prices were insane. 50 bucks for a box of 1987 topps and it just went downhill from there. Ended up buying the only 4 100 packs of sleeves the guy had and he made a snide comment about me paying my 5 bucks with a debit card. I didn’t have a stitch of cash on me.

Never got one question about what I was looking for, barely an acknowledgement of even being there. I was NOT impressed. Far cry from the days in the 80’s and early 90s when people seemed excited to see you and actually wanted to talk. I don’t think I’ll be back. Prices on singles, raw and graded, were insane as well. Are they all like this nowadays?? Card shops I mean? I have plenty of disposable income and was ready to spend a few hours in there but at the end, just wanted to leave.

[IHaveHisCard]

And this is why Blowout is blowing these guys out of business.

[gmoney328]

It was crazy. Not a huge place, but I counted 4 employees. Not one of them asked me what I was even doing there. Surprised this place has been around as long as it has.

[thecardiq]

Yes, your one experience that you already know was a complete outlier based on the tone of your own writing, is definitely indicative of every other card shop. They are all like this. Every single one.

[gmoney328]

Originally Posted by thecardiq

Yes, your one experience that you already know was a complete outlier based on the tone of your own writing, is definitely indicative of every other card shop. They are all like this. Every single one.

Fair enough, I guess that was a dumb question. I just felt like venting I guess. It was very strange.

[pskell02]

Sounds like an awful shop. Don't let that discourage you though. If you have another one close by, try it. I'm lucky to have a great shop close to me and having gone for a few years now, the LCS owner is now one of my best friends.

[Peties Army]

Originally Posted by thecardiq

Yes, your one experience that you already know was a complete outlier based on the tone of your own writing, is definitely indicative of every other card shop. They are all like this. Every single one.

I laughed at his

[Cubsfanp]

I have a shop like this where i live. I don't spend much there. I would rather drive an hour and spend money at a different one.

[atoaz12]

Originally Posted by thecardiq

Yes, your one experience that you already know was a complete outlier based on the tone of your own writing, is definitely indicative of every other card shop. They are all like this. Every single one.

You know what he meant
Maybe drop a resume to that card shop in Florida. May be a good fit

[Peties Army]

Originally Posted by gmoney328

So being back into the hobby since August now, I decided to finally drop in on a card shop in my area. I have probably driven by this place 500 times in the 10 years it’s been open. Let’s just say my experience wasn’t fantastic.

Shop was nice enough. Walked in and saw boxes and boxes of singles. Started looking around. Made a comment to the guy that I felt like I could spend a day looking at this stuff and still not BUY everything I wanted. He didn’t respond. So I’m looking around and hear the owner (I think) yelling at one of his guys for not “working the customer enough”. Mind you, I am the only customer in the place at this point.

Prices were insane. 50 bucks for a box of 1987 topps and it just went downhill from there. Ended up buying the only 4 100 packs of sleeves the guy had and he made a snide comment about me paying my 5 bucks with a debit card. I didn’t have a stitch of cash on me.

Never got one question about what I was looking for, barely an acknowledgement of even being there. I was NOT impressed. Far cry from the days in the 80’s and early 90s when people seemed excited to see you and actually wanted to talk. I don’t think I’ll be back. Prices on singles, raw and graded, were insane as well. Are they all like this nowadays?? Card shops I mean? I have plenty of disposable income and was ready to spend a few hours in there but at the end, just wanted to leave.

Just had a bad experience/they had a bad day. It happens. In this industry it does seem a lot of owners can get short sighted and feel bothered by customers, I do agree.

Also the 5 bucks on a debit card does kind of hurt small businesses. Anytime I go into a place like that I know Im spending at least 10 to use my debit card.

Probably just a bad day

[timber63401]

Originally Posted by IHaveHisCard

And this is why Blowout is blowing these guys out of business.

It depends on the shop. My 2 local shops are always lower then Blowout on boxes and cases. 5 years ago they couldn't touch them.

[3rdpedal]

My LCS has a great, friendly owner, but is mostly Magic/Pokemon cards. The limited selection of sports cards has over priced singles that are mostly local teams (Steelers, Pirates, Penguins) and are mostly 5+ years old. The wax is VERY limited, and ~20% above BO prices. At this point, I mostly visit to grab cardboard boxes, penny sleeves, and the occasional one-touch. I don't know how these places stay in business.

[Peties Army]

Originally Posted by timber63401

It depends on the shop. My 2 local shops are always lower then Blowout on boxes and cases. 5 years ago they couldn't touch them.

My local shop has been pretty mcuh within line for a few years but just moved last week to a much further and different area. I wonder if that will change prices

[IHaveHisCard]

Originally Posted by timber63401

It depends on the shop. My 2 local shops are always lower then Blowout on boxes and cases. 5 years ago they couldn't touch them.

Please tell me you are located in or near NJ.

[dwillard]

Originally Posted by atoaz12

You know what he meant
Maybe drop a resume to that card shop in Florida. May be a good fit

THIS made me laugh! Well done sir.

[gmoney328]

Originally Posted by Peties Army

Just had a bad experience/they had a bad day. It happens. In this industry it does seem a lot of owners can get short sighted and feel bothered by customers, I do agree.

Also the 5 bucks on a debit card does kind of hurt small businesses. Anytime I go into a place like that I know Im spending at least 10 to use my debit card.

Probably just a bad day

I told him to charge me an extra dollar for the fee. Which would have been about 15 cents tops. He didn’t do that but I offered. I’m willing to concede bad days and the like, but if I owned the place, I would at least try and strike up some sort of conversation. Or at least ask is there anything I could help you find?

I guess I was disappointed more than anything else. I like to talk about the hobby, and just sports in general. I was hoping to have at least a little discourse. Maybe that was my biggest issue with the whole experience. Lack of caring.

[thecardiq]

Originally Posted by atoaz12

You know what he meant
Maybe drop a resume to that card shop in Florida. May be a good fit

I would also scoff at someone driving around to buy penny sleeves, so maybe I should.

[gmoney328]

Originally Posted by thecardiq

I would also scoff at someone driving around to buy penny sleeves, so maybe I should.

I had ideas of buying some unopened wax to
Rip, but the prices were out of line.

[JWBlue]

These shops have to charge more with the overhead of rent.

Do they really need to charge double or more though for everything?

Asking. Not questioning.

[trmpetyjo]

Originally Posted by atoaz12

You know what he meant

Maybe drop a resume to that card shop in Florida. May be a good fit

Yeah, exactly what I thought too. Guy is telling people his overall experience after going into a card shop for the first time in 28 years, and gets the same treatment in the forums as he did in the shop.

Some wise guy mouthing off trying to be funny instead of trying to help out and encourage a fellow collector.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[dashcol]

My LCS is the complete opposite of what this place sounds like it is. The shop is only open 1 Day a week, sometimes two. The owner has insanely high prices marked on his wax, but those are admittedly there for the fly by customers. Regulars get much better prices, and when he marks them down he is right around BO prices so I don’t mind paying 5-10% more to keep the doors open.

He doesn’t have prices on singles, you have to just bring him a stack and he will give you a price on the stack, the more cards the better the price. He never looks up the prices, he just gives you a fair price based on how much he feels they should go for. He is usually at about 75-125% of eBay.

I have never had him charge for a one touch, or sleeves/top loaders. I don’t buy them that much, but he has never charged me for them.

He makes most his money off of casual fans who stop in to buy his autographed jerseys. I am constantly seeing him sell those at what I would consider high prices, but they sell so they can’t be too high.

He is also okay with and enjoys people coming in just to talk sports and the hobby. He will let you sit and just talk with no intents of ever buying. So many times we will sit and watch a game, he buys lunch for us all and we just hang out.

If we do buy a big amount of boxes for a group break then he knocks the price down about 25% and throws in a box from the back we didn’t even know he had.

Great guy and great shop!

On a side note, I have seen pics of his collection that he keeps at his house, and it is insane. Full run of Mantle from 1951-1969, pretty sure the same with Willie and Aaron. The guy has been collecting for 50 years and his love of the hobby shows through.

[LVDan]

Originally Posted by gmoney328

I told him to charge me an extra dollar for the fee. Which would have been about 15 cents tops. He didn’t do that but I offered. I’m willing to concede bad days and the like, but if I owned the place, I would at least try and strike up some sort of conversation. Or at least ask is there anything I could help you find?

I guess I was disappointed more than anything else. I like to talk about the hobby, and just sports in general. I was hoping to have at least a little discourse. Maybe that was my biggest issue with the whole experience. Lack of caring.

Yeah, in a brick n mortar business that is at a huge disadvantage compared to online retailers a little personality can go a long way towards repeat business.
Most people in the hobby know that the LCS will be higher on wax and than they can get online but are more than willing to pay the premium knowing that you can usually count on some friendly banter and hobby chat as part of the experience. LCS employees that act like this to customers are stacking the deck even higher against their success.

[MRSPORTSCARD]

Originally Posted by gmoney328

So being back into the hobby since August now, I decided to finally drop in on a card shop in my area. I have probably driven by this place 500 times in the 10 years it’s been open. Let’s just say my experience wasn’t fantastic.

Shop was nice enough. Walked in and saw boxes and boxes of singles. Started looking around. Made a comment to the guy that I felt like I could spend a day looking at this stuff and still not BUY everything I wanted. He didn’t respond. So I’m looking around and hear the owner (I think) yelling at one of his guys for not “working the customer enough”. Mind you, I am the only customer in the place at this point.

Prices were insane. 50 bucks for a box of 1987 topps and it just went downhill from there. Ended up buying the only 4 100 packs of sleeves the guy had and he made a snide comment about me paying my 5 bucks with a debit card. I didn’t have a stitch of cash on me.

Never got one question about what I was looking for, barely an acknowledgement of even being there. I was NOT impressed. Far cry from the days in the 80’s and early 90s when people seemed excited to see you and actually wanted to talk. I don’t think I’ll be back. Prices on singles, raw and graded, were insane as well. Are they all like this nowadays?? Card shops I mean? I have plenty of disposable income and was ready to spend a few hours in there but at the end, just wanted to leave.

Online is the better experience now. Went to a retail brink and morter and asked them a question about where a product was located after it took 20 minutes to find them and they were clueless. I rather just click on Amazon and have the product come to my door cheaper and no hassles.

[shayscards79]

Originally Posted by thecardiq

Yes, your one experience that you already know was a complete outlier based on the tone of your own writing, is definitely indicative of every other card shop. They are all like this. Every single one.

I've been in about ten LCSs over the past ten years and I can honestly say I've met maybe two or three people working at any of them that were personable. It's a bit disappointing, it's not like you're shopping at Walmart. Hobby shops should be a friendly place since you are with like minded people. So instead of hiding behind a laptop whenever a customer comes in or only chatting up your regular customers and ignoring unfamiliar people, maybe make the place more inviting to new people so they become regulars.

[MRSPORTSCARD]

btw memo to a lot of lcs is act like Don West of those late night days on cable tv. That`s how you sell. Energy and enthusiasm.